In the search for sources of energy alternatives to fossil fuels, a number of options have been explored, including geothermal energy, hydroelectric energy, hydrogen, biofuels and wind energy. However, an increasingly attractive alternative is the harnessing of solar power. Photovoltaic solar cells may be used to capture incident sunlight and convert absorbed photons into electrons and holes that flow through the cell, creating current and producing electricity. Unfortunately, one major historical drawback to the use of photovoltaic cells for energy conversion is the conversion efficiency of such cells. Energy from the incident sunlight that is lost may be attributed to reflection off of the photovoltaic cells, thermodynamic losses, the internal quantum efficiency of the cell, and conductive efficiency of the cell. The earliest photovoltaic cells converted only about 1 to 2% of energy from incident sunlight. Modern solar cells made up of single-pn junction silicon wafers are able to achieve maximum conversion efficiencies of between about 15 and 25. However, major recent advances have been made in this area. Using optical elements to concentrate a high flux of light onto a compound solar cell that is made up of multiple pn junctions as well as other crystalline materials, such as III-V semiconductors, researchers have achieved conversion efficiencies of around 40%. There is a great need in the art to provide solutions that will continue to improve the conversion efficiencies of such solar cells.